Page 33 of I Am the Storm

Cole leans back, crossing his arms over his chest. "That's an interesting choice of career for men who were more than willing to throw their own brother under the bus. Where was my defense when I needed one the most?"

No one has an answer for him, and so we travel in silence the rest of the way home.

The tension is thick when we arrive and head inside the castle. Matilda is waiting by the door, her eyes red and swollen like she's been crying.

When she sees Cole, she cries out, holding her arms open. "My boy. You've come home at last."

I don't entirely know what I was expecting, but when Cole embraces her and his eyes well up with tears, I'm shocked. I had no idea they were so close. There's so much to their history I don't know. So much I will likely never know.

"Grand-mère," he says with raw emotion. "I'm sorry I didn't come sooner."

He pulls away and she pats him on his cheek like a child. "You look good. I know you've been through more than most, but you've always been strong. Brave. I knew you'd come out of it okay."

Cole looks away frowning. "Well, I came out of it at least."

Matilda leads him in by the hand. "I hope your tastes haven't changed too much. I've prepared all your favorite foods."

We follow them into the dining room, and my stomach rumbles loud enough to draw looks from everyone.

Cole pulls out a seat next to his. "Join me? Have my brothers not been keeping you fed? Their appetites have changed, but you cannot live on blood."

Sebastian bristles at that. "She has plenty of food to eat anytime she wants."

Cole rolls his eyes and we both sit. The others all do as well, and Matilda brings out food for those of us who eat and blood for those who don't.

Lily makes a surprise visit, joining us. She smiles shyly at Cole and holds out a hand. "We haven't met. I'm Lily. The Nights adopted me into their family, years ago."

Cole stands and kisses her hand gallantly. "Enchantè. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I've always found dryads very magical."

She nods then takes a seat across from us.

"May I ask, how is it you have a French accent, while your brothers don't?"

There's an uncomfortable silence as they glance at each other, and it's Matilda who answers for them.

"Cole spent most of his childhood training in France," she says. "He was particularly gifted with his magick at an early age and was sent to apprentice there."

"I fell in love with the country," Cole says. "If not with my master."

Matilda frowns. "I'm sorry, my boy. If we had known… "

Cole shrugs. "It is in the past, is it not? This is the time for new beginnings."

As we begin eating, a cry interrupts us from the other room. Liam jumps up, setting his goblet of blood down. "Excuse me."

Cole looks over, confused. "There's a baby here?"

"I'm surprised you didn't already know," Sebastian says bitterly. "You seem to know everything else despite having been gone for a thousand years."

Cole sips at his wine and smiles. "I've done due diligence, but some rumors clearly haven't reached me yet." He looks to me. "Is the child yours?"

I blush and shake my head. "Liam's. She is half human, though."

Liam returns with the baby bundled in his arms. His expression softens as he looks at his daughter. "She just needed a change and a bottle," he says, feeding her as he takes his seat.

Cole can't take his eyes off of them. "I'm an…uncle?"

The four other brothers look at him, but only Liam nods. "It would appear so."